English Coffee and Irish Beer
by Sailor Onyx Pluto
Summary: Julia had the standard life of a coffee shop employee, until the day writer Connor MacManus entered her life. Now, she has to deal with the press, overly loyal fans, a few admirers of her own, and, of course, Connor's twin brother, Murphy. However, there's certain things that Connor doesn't want her to know about, and those things could make her turn her back on him. Rating now M.
1. Black, Cream, or Sugar?

**English Coffee and Irish Beer**

 **By Sailor Onyx Pluto**

 **Chapter One – Black, Cream or Sugar?**

"I have two espressos: a solo with whipped cream and a double with steamed nonfat milk!" I called out into the din of customers currently occupying 90% of the Café Bean's interior. It had been a crazy morning and an even crazier lunch hour, but now I had finally finished the last order in my line and was extremely exhausted.

After Mrs. Mansley had picked up her triple dose of caffeine and gave me her usual appreciative smile, I breathed a small sigh of relief then went about my task of cleaning the espresso machine before my boss came back from his break. Tom Jameson always had this knack for going on his lunch just before the stock brokers, bankers, and insurance reps came in from the nearby Change Alley, the World Bank, and the London Stock Exchange, leaving me and Angelina Berkowitz to fend for ourselves. While she was in no way, shape, or form related to the Son of Sam serial killer from the states, Angelina was a beast, and a vicious one at that, when it came to handling the Bean's lunch rush.

She could sling espresso with the best of them when she was on the bar, but today, the register was her bitch as she punched orders through faster than people could spit them out, and all with a smile and a disarming sense of humor. Me, on the other hand, could grind, tamp, and brew the meanest punch of coffee sweetness this side of the pond with a consistency and attention to detail that would make Barista Championship competitors cry.

Smiling to myself, I gingerly wiped down the silver-and-black sleek monstrosity in front of me, made sure the steam wand was properly calibrated, and that there were no stray grounds anywhere. Tom may have been out of the building but it'll be a cold day in Hell the day I have him come back to a messy café!

As soon as I was satisfied with how everything looked, I tossed the rag into the dirty laundry bin on my way to the basement, grabbing the keys to the liquor storage off of Tom's desk, surprised that I had even found said keys with how cluttered he always kept everything.

Café Bean was not only a specialty coffeehouse but also a bar of sorts after two, and it already being half past one, I only had thirty minutes to do what I needed to do. I wasn't worried though. Having done this for the last five years of my working life, I could get everything done in fifteen minutes, leaving myself plenty of time to have my double espresso with almond and mint chocolate syrup and a splash of whole milk.

The thought of my little bit of momentary indulgence put a bounce in my step as I picked up an empty box from the trash area that was still dry and intact, and grabbed two bottles of each of he following: Baileys Original, Mint Chocolate, Crème Caramel, and Hazelnut, Kahlua, Crème de cassis, and what I had left of the Carolans Irish Cream then hauled it all upstairs as fast as I could without tripping over my shoes.

As soon as I'd lined up all the bottles in their riser to the lower left of the espresso machine but well out of anybody's reach from the other side of the counter, I grabbed my box, flew back downstairs and loaded it up with Guinness, Irish Mist (whiskey), Crown Royal, Bombay Sapphire, and Tia Maria, and ran back up the stairs to put it all in its place. I put the beer in an open top cooler that was already filled with ice then the remaining liquor in another riser next to the other one.

Double-checking to make sure I had enough whipped cream, fruit garnishes, spices, and other various toppings and finishes, I gave the counter another quick wipe down then pulled out my own private stock of my favorite beans. I had roasted the organic Bali green beans to Full City then blended them with some banana split-flavored ones that I'd purchased from one of my favorite suppliers. The right ratio gave the espresso a taste reminiscent to vanilla bean ice cream with bananas, cherries, and chocolate syrup, making for a dessert-like drink.

I measured out enough for two shots, tamped the grounds, wiped off the edge, fitted it into the machine, and cued up a double. As the sweet streams of caramel-colored delight flowed into the shot glasses, I poured an ounce each of almond and mint chocolate syrup into a demitasse, just in time for my custom shots to finish then I topped the concoction off with three-quarters of an ounce of cold whole milk. I let it sit for a few seconds as I disposed of the used grounds and quickly cleaned the equipment.

I picked up the tiny cup and threw back the whole thing in one swig and was just beginning to savor it when I heard, "Did I miss anything, ladies?" Tom's snarky comment as he walked by the hand-off and up to the register. Me and Angelina playfully rolled our eyes as she called up the numbers for the last hour (we get hour-long lunch breaks here) and scanned the screen in an almost nonchalant manner, which I found very amusing.

"Oh, not much, boss," she began, her accent still holding some of its Welsh overtones. "Just three thousand pounds in the last hour, give or take," she swung her chestnut brown head in my direction. "Right Jewel?" My name was really Julia but everyone here called me Jewel, which worked for me because no one needs to know my real name unless I want them to.

"Aye," I responded with a toss of my black hair. "In fact, we're already set up for the drinkin' crowd." While that kind of rush wasn't unusual for us, Tom's deep brown eyes went wide.

"Three thousand?" he stepped behind the counter. "We seem to be getting busier and busier every day," his expression became thoughtful just then as he regarded me and Ange. "I'll tell you two what: these numbers keep up over the end of the week, I'll give each of you a… three pound an hour raise. How's that sound?" I think we were speechless at this point because that was a lot of cash for him to be offering us and I started to wonder how he'd be able to do it while still covering overhead and the suppliers.

I was about to voice my concerns when he held up a hand as if he knew what I was going to say. "No arguments, Jewel," and I thought I heard Ange's jaw snap shut. "You ladies work harder and more effectively than just about anyone else I've hired and you more than deserve it." He moved to go to his desk in the back. "Besides, if business continues like this, I may just make the raise even higher," and with that, he strolled out of sight, leaving us dumbfounded for more than a few moments.

It wasn't until I heard, "Pardon me, lasses, but if ye were tryin' to catch bugs ya might do bet'er wit honey 'stead of yer mouths." I turned my attention to the unmistakable Irish Borough. "'Sides, woul'nt wanna ruin tat pretty face of yers," and my mouth snapped shut as the most beautiful gray-green eyes glinted impishly into my stark blue ones.

It took me a second to process that he was standing at the register and I quickly elbowed Ange in the ribs, indicating that she should take his order.

"Oh, pardon me," she apologized as she stepped up and I went back to the bar area. "What can we get for you, sir?" she asked with her usual pretty smile. He looked up at the menu boards and appeared as though he was about to order when I saw his gorgeous eyes move to the smaller menu by the POS; the one where I came up with a signature drink when I was barring, and I felt a smile tug at my lips.

"Wat be a Thames Zest?" and Ange looked at me to describe it.

I silently thanked Hecate that no one else was in line and that most of the other patrons had already gone back to work. "It's one of my many signature drinks that I decided to feature today." He gave me his full attention and it took every ounce of my willpower not to colour up at that moment. "I start off with two shots of an Ethiopian coffee from the Sidamo region, and mix that with a half of an ounce of Irish Mist for a bit of a mellow honey spike." I noticed that Ange had a goofy grin that said she knew where this was going, but I proceeded to ignore it for the time being.

"I then add a half of an ounce of both lemon and vanilla syrup, three ounces of cold cream, top it with some ice, a dollop of cinnamon-spiced whipped cream, and a twist of lemon zest to finish it off." He seemed to be taking all of that in since it was obviously a lot to digest, but before I could ask if he had any questions, he said:

"I'ma have two of 'em, lass," he ran a calloused hand over his golden-blonde hair. "One fer me," he lowered his voice and leaned in close, "one fer ye," and while I was still in momentary shock, he looked back over to Ange to pay for what he wanted, who was more than happy to ring him up.

"That's very generous of you, sir," I started while making the first Thames Zest, "but I'm not off the clock yet-"

"Ya are now!" I heard a familiar voice ring out, and I knew all-too-well who it was.

"Afternoon, Murphy," Ange greeted the roguishly cute Irishman before I could. I'd had a crush on him ever since he started here, but that obviously flew out the window when I'd laid eyes on the gorgeous man in front of me whose name I had yet to uncover.

" 'Ey Connor!" Murphy exclaimed as he clapped said gorgeous man on the back. " 'Bout time ye drug yer arse in here, brudda. I been tellin' ye 'bout it fer six monts now!"

"I know ya have, Murph," Connor rolled his eyes at my now-former crush. "I only lived wit ya me whole life, an' e'ery time ya get a new job, ya always yap yer head off 'bout it!"

"No more so den ye, bro." That was when they seemed to notice us staring at them while they were exchanging words.

Murphy seemed to have a light go on behind those beautiful brown eyes and he smiled. "Pardon us, lasses, but I was jus' tellin' me brudda 'ere tat he shoulda come in 'ere sooner."

He probably would've continued if I hadn't spoken up. "Hold the phone: You've been employed here for the last six months and you never once told us you had a brother." Amidst my shock, I had somehow managed to finish the first Thames Zest Connor had asked for but I had yet to start the second one.

"Yeah, Murphy," Ange interjected, hands on her slender hips. "What's the idea?"

He didn't miss a beat. "I jus' wanted 'em ta come in and meet ya lovely lasses on his own and looks he finally did." He clapped his brother on the back once more then walked behind the counter to clock in for his shift.

"How 'bout tat second drink, lass?" The Irishman asked, bringing me back to where I was.

"Do you mind if I punch out first since Murphy is here then I'll make that second one?"

"No worries, lass," he winked at me. "I jus' be o'er 'ere, waitin' fer ye," and he walked to one of the more private two-seater tables where the lighting had a bit of an amber rose tint to it. Tom's subtleties at work.

"Ahem," I turned to see Ange with a big grin and an impish glint in her eyes. "So, are you gonna go over there or are you more content to stare for the rest of your life?" I blinked then moved to go punch out as Murphy was on his way back to the floor.

"I tell ya dis, Jewel," he said as I approached him. "Me brudda don't go after anyone, so by 'em waitin' 'round fer ye means he likes ya lots." I definitely coloured up then as the realization dawned on me that he must have overheard Connor say he'd be sitting in the café. "Ahhh, don't be nervous, girl. He be a good guy and who'd know bet'er den me, 'sides our Ma, course."

"Cheers, Murphy." I smiled as I untied my apron and headed towards the punch clock. "You made me feel much better about this." He turned to go to his spot but I suddenly remembered something and called:

"Murphy?" He turned around. "Would you be so kind as to make the Thames Zest that your brother bought for me?" He just winked and strolled to the bar as I went to gather my Darth Vader messenger bag and team jacket from when I used to bowl every weekend.

"Afternoon, Tom," I called over my shoulder.

"Afternoon, Jewel. Enjoy your two days off." I always worked Monday through Friday since those were the most active days for the stock exchange, and thus, the busiest days for us. I usually needed a half of a day to recover from the madness then the rest of it to clean my flat. That routine would more than likely change today since I would not be heading home right away.

Suddenly feeling a bit self-conscious, I stepped into the washroom to check that my hair wasn't sticking out anywhere but decided to take it down and give it a quick brush then put on a refresher coat of berry mocha lipstick, which I really didn't need but I do weird shit when I get nervous.

Giving myself a final once over, I took a deep breath and exited the washroom to see that Murphy had finished my Thames Zest and was waiting to hand it to me as Ange was taking care of the first customer in a line of at least ten or more.

"Much appreciated, Murphy," I said as I picked up my drink and all he did was wink in reply, making me wonder if he'd put some extra Irish Mist in it to get me to chill out a bit. I mentally kicked myself for that thought as I walked over to where Connor was patiently waiting. Murphy didn't seem like the type to spike a lady's drink so that his brother could get laid.

As I got closer to the table, I felt the pesky butterflies in my stomach start to flutter again but it quickly dissipated as the incredibly hot Irishman stood up and pulled out the chair for me then gently pushed it back in when I sat down.

"Cheers," I said, not knowing what else to say. I absolutely hated it when I felt awkward around men since I was such a strong character most of the time.

"Don mention it, lass," Connor took a sip of his drink, savoring its flavor. I felt a smile tugging at my lips. I was glad that he liked it. I took a sip of my own, mainly just to have something to do.

"So, Connor," I began, twisting a lock of hair around my finger. "What is it that you do for work?" He smiled and I think my heart skipped a few beats just then.

"If I told ya, I'd have ta kill ya," and he winked at me. I seriously think I felt my heart stop when he did that while I found myself wondering at what he meant by that. He took a sip of his Thames Zest, as he seemed to be watching my expression at what he'd said, and actually laughed when I became somewhat confused.

"What is so amusing?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Jus' yer face, girl," he snickered. " 'Twas only kiddin' 'bout me work." He looked around then, as if someone might be listening then leaned in, causing me to do the same, and whispered in a conspiratorial tone, "I'ma writer but don be tellin' anyone. Don want me mug in da papers 'round 'ere."

I was trying to figure out if he was kidding or not, but when he didn't smile or snicker, I knew he was telling the truth. I sat back and studied his face for a moment, trying to place who he really was since I was usually pretty up to speed with most of the authors in this country but on his, I was drawing a blank.

"So lass," he interrupted my train of thought, "since ye know me name, how 'bout tellin' me yers?"

I had to think about it for a few seconds since I never gave my real name out to anyone while I was at work; even my nametag said 'Jewel.' I made my choice after about a minute of thinking it over. "Julia. Julia Starr."

He held out his hand for mine, and when I gave it to him, he kissed the back of it lightly. "Connor MacManus. Pleased to meet ya."


	2. Words, Beans, and Caskets

**After posting chapter three, I decided to come back and fix the typos in this chapter as it was driving me nuts.**

 **Chapter Two – Words, Beans, and Caskets**

"Connor MacManus?" I studied his features a bit more then it clicked. "Not THE Connor MacManus! The author of The Boondock Saints book series that's not only held the top spot on the New York Times' Bestseller list with every new release but has also won several major awards for fiction?" He nodded sheepishly in affirmation and I think my brain missed firing a few neurons, as now I couldn't believe who was in my place of employment.

I had to take a gulp of my Thames Zest to get my head back to rights, and that's when the Irish Mist really hit me. 'Damnit Murphy!' I thought as my mind reeled at the sudden intake of alcohol. 'You sneaky son of a bitch!'

My shock and anger must've shown on my face as Connor asked, "Somethin' be wrong, lass?" I shook my head to clear it but it only served to make me dizzy. I probably would've fallen out of my chair at that moment had the blonde writer not been quick on the drop.

"Ye aright dere, girl?" he asked, concern lacing his voice as he helped me orient myself.

"I think your brother spiked my drink a little," I replied, a bit of my anger showing through. He picked up my glass and held it under his nose for about thirty seconds then set it back down.

"Scuse me a minute, will ya?" and he walked away. My curiosity was piqued and I peered around the half wall that separated our table from the others to see him at the counter, arguing with his brother, who had a big, fat grin on his face. Snippets of the heated discussion reached my ears but I couldn't figure out what they were saying. It almost sounded like German but my knowledge of languages wasn't the best, so I could've been hearing Russian for all I knew.

After a few minutes and more customers coming in, I saw Connor give Murphy an evil glare then he stalked back to where I was sitting.

"Apologies, lass, but I had ta give me brudda a lashin' fer wat he did ta ye," he apologized as he sat back down. "I told 'em he shoulda known bet'er den ta spike a lady's drink."

I nodded in appreciation and made a mental note never to let Murphy make anything for me lest I beat his ass for it. I wasn't going to tell Tom because I didn't want him to fire the guy. Plus, I think Murphy had it bad for Ange, so no need to spoil that possibility. "I appreciate you doing that for me, Connor, but if you don't mind me asking, exactly what language were you guys speaking just then?"

"'Twas Latin, Jewel," he answered with a sparkle in his eye, and I greatly resisted the urge to swoon.

"Well, I was way off."

"Wat did ya tink it was?"

"German, or maybe Russian, but foreign dialects were never one of my fortes either."

He laughed and polished off his drink. "If ye want, I can teach 'em to ya cuz I know those too, along with Spanish and Italian." I looked at him as if I'd been struck dumb. Fluent in five languages and a famous author too?" I hoped to Hecate I didn't screw this relationship up because he was pure gold as far as men went.

"So, Jewel," I loved the way he said my nickname, "since I told ya all 'bout me, how 'bout tellin' me 'bout yerself?"

It was at that moment I noticed how crowded the Café Bean had gotten and there were more eyes and ears around than I felt comfortable with. Not to mention the chance of some crazy fan recognizing who Connor was and hounding him for an autograph or photograph, so I leaned closer to him so I could whisper, "If it won't be a problem, I'd rather not discuss my personal life here. How 'bout we go back to my flat and talk? It's only a twenty minute walk from here."

"Aright by me," he stood up and offered a hand. "Shall we go?" I took his hand, along with my Darth Vader bag, and stood up to leave, but before we made our exit, he threw a black hood over his head, despite the bright, warm day outside. I thought it strange for a moment but then I figured he didn't want anyone on the street recognizing him. He'd probably walked into the shop like that and if Ange and I hadn't been so dumbfounded by Tom's proposal of a raise, we'd have noticed that earlier.

I turned to wave goodbye to Murphy and Ange, and she threw me a knowing wink in reply, making me colour up lightly on my cheeks. She always had a way of telling what was going on.

On the way out, I saw another barista I worked with, who looked to be heading in. "Afternoon, Tiff. You goin' in to relieve Ange?" Tiffany Monroe almost always worked the afternoon/evening shift throughout the week, but would occasionally be scheduled for a weekend.

She gave Connor and I a friendly smile. "Afternoon, Jewel. I'm here to send Ange on out," she moved to go inside. "Who's your friend?"

"Connor. Please ta meet ya." He politely shook her hand, and I saw a sly smile play over her delicate features.

"Please to meet you too, Connor. You take care of my Jewel now, ya hear? She's been hurt too many times before. Don't think she could handle another let down."

"Tiff!" I said in an exasperated tone. "Quit actin' like my bloody mum! You're five years my junior for Hecate's sake! I should be the one motherin' you!"

"Afternoon," she said with a glint in her brown eyes then she was inside the café with a trail of blonde hair behind her.

"Apologies, Connor," I started as we walked away from the shop to go to my flat. "They all act like my bloody parents in these situations, even Tom and his wife, but it's probably cuz I have been hurt so many times before in relationships."

"I don un'erstand why," the writer commented as we turned a corner. "Yer too beautiful to be hurt. Not ta mention smart."

While I was extremely happy from him calling me beautiful, I had to scoff at the 'smart' remark. "If I'm so smart then how come I got suckered into relationships with pigs and losers?" I honestly wasn't expecting him to answer but he surprised me by what he responded with.

"Emotion can blind e'en da mos genius of humans, lass. You can't espect yerself to be on guard all da time. Ya'd ne'er experience life o'herwise," he grinned as we hurried across a busy roundabout. "'Sides, if ye were still wit one of dem losers, ya wouldn't be here wit me right now." I couldn't deny that fact because if I'd had a boyfriend, I more than likely would've turned Connor down, but then again, given my last relationship, I probably would've dumped the asshole anyway if he hadn't dumped me first.

We walked in comfortable silence as we crossed another street then made a left at the next one, and I started shuffling around in my pockets for my keys that I almost always seemed to misplace somehow. After a few moments, I found them and turned the lock to a tall gray brick building then locked it behind Connor. I turned to see him looking around the place, almost as if he were giving it his assessment.

"It's nothing fancy but it works," I said, selecting the key for my door. "At least I can afford it while attending university." He pulled his hood down and tousled his hair. "Follow me. I'm three flights up."

"Lead da way, girl." I started up the stairs and he fell into step behind me. The way seemed to take a lot longer than it should have, and I thought my heartbeat was getting louder and louder with every step.

'Stop being so damn nervous!' my brain scolded as we reached my door. 'You've had guys over before.'

'Yeah but none of them were actually accomplished men.' I thought back, turning the lock and going inside. It was at that moment I saw how much of a disaster my place was. Dishes were still in the sink from last night's supper, my school books were all over my desk, not to mention the pile of papers stacked on my portable computer, and I didn't even want to think about what the bedroom looked like. Wait a minute. Why the hell did I think about my room? Was I already contemplating sleeping with this guy?

"Here we are," I scratched my head sheepishly. "Sorry about the mess but I haven't had the time to clean this week."

"Ah, no worries, girl. Is cleaner than me place any day." He slid out of his hooded sweatshirt and I was struck momentarily dumb as my eyes fell on his muscular arms and well-built torso. "Where should I hang dis? Don wanna make a nuisance of meself."

I snapped out of my daze just then, hoping he didn't notice me staring. "I'll hang it in the closet for you," he handed the garment to me and I put it on a hanger then did the same with my jacket. "If you want to make yourself comfortable, I'm going to change out of my work uniform. Won't be a minute."

"Take yer time. I'm in no rush." I nearly dashed into my bedroom to keep from colouring and shut the door while trying to slow my heart down. What was going on with me? No guy was ever able to make me feel like this, especially after only knowing him for barely a day.

"I'd better not keep him waiting, or he'll think I'm trying to hide or something." Moving as fast as I could, I dropped the messenger bag between the bureau and the bed, slipped out of my work clothes, tossed them into the clothes bin, and changed into my new slim jeans and tight-fitting top.

'Here goes nothing,' and I exited my room to see that Connor had made himself comfortable in the armchair, and that was when I got a really good look at him. His skin was a golden tan and damn near rippling with muscles but not overly so; the eyes that I thought were green-gray were almost a deep emerald, and they were looking right at me, bringing me back to reality.

"Ya feelin' okay, girl?"

"Oh yeah," I quickly said. "I was just… admiring you." I mentally kicked myself for that comment as soon as it left my mouth, and I watched his face transform from concern to near embarrassment. "Sorry," I looked down at the forest carpet. "I don't know why I said that. I usually have a better filter than that."

"I tell ya dis," I slowly looked up. "I dated a lot of women, some fans, some not, but not a one of 'em was e'er as honest as ye are." He smiled at me just then and I felt a little better about what I'd said. "Don worry 'bout wat ya said. Made me feel good 'bout meself," he chuckled. "Nice ta know I'm still preddy."

I laughed at that. "I'm glad you didn't take it the wrong way or think that I'm strange," I sat down at my desk and started moving some of the papers around to clear some space. "I feel as though you're the first man who'll let me be myself."

'Why the hell did I say that?'

'You're already considering keeping this one around,' my annoying inner self shot back. 'Be careful. You don't wanna get burned again.'

'Shut the hell up,' and I put my focus back on what I was doing.

"So, Jewel," he smiled at me again. "Since we came here to talk 'bout ya, wat ye attendin' school fer?"

"Promise you won't be weirded out by it?" He drew a cross over his heart. "Alright, you asked for it. I'm studying to be an undertaker."

He didn't miss a beat. "Now dat's a brilliant profession."

"Seriously?"

"Course. We all gonna croak, so notin' wrong wit makin' a livin' from it," he grinned at the irony of his statement. "Writer's creativity. Ne'er stops workin'."

"Sounds like a bloody brilliant title for a book, Mr. MacManus."

"Aye, so it does. Might not fit wit wat I'm workin' on now."

"What are you working on now?" I asked, putting some papers into the filing drawer and locking it.

"Wat I'm hopin'll be da last book fer me series cuz I'm already havin' ideas fer somethin' else," he became thoughtful just then and I couldn't help but notice how handsome he looked when he was concentrating. "Matter a fact, I might make the new series 'bout your profession."

My head snapped up from the last stack of papers I was organizing. "You want to use what I do for a book series? Now, would that be the coffee shop or the funeral business?"

"Why not both? Course, I'd change names so tat no one'd know who it really was but for da most part, it'd be based around ye."

I think I was honestly shell-shocked at that moment as my brain began to process what he was proposing to me. We hadn't even known each other for a full day yet and already he wanted to use me as inspiration for a book?

"I must say that I'm flattered and humbled that you'd want to do that, but I'll have to warn you: I'm not very interesting."

"On da contrary, ta me, ya are interestin'. Very much so," he stood up and came over to where I was seated. "'Sides, I can write prose like ya can't believe. I can _make_ anyone interestin'," and he waggled his eyebrows in a preposterous imitation of a smooth-talking pickup artist.

I couldn't help but laugh. "I don't doubt it. Just make sure I don't become a distraction to your work."

He pulled a pack of smokes out of his pocket. "Okay if I smoke in here?"

"Go for it. Let me crack a window first." He smoothly moved aside and I opened one of the windows facing the street.

He lit up and took a drag. "Don worry 'bout bein' a distraction. When I focus, ain't nothin' gonna slow me down. Unless," and he looked me over slowly. "I want it to.

My face must've went through at least seven shades of red as his emerald eyes roamed over me like he wanted to do something right then and there, and I wasn't quite sure how I felt about it. The feeling made my blood race, my adrenaline pump, my palms sweat, and my ego self-conscious. My instincts warned me to be careful as he could just be sweet-talking me to get in my bed but my heart told me otherwise; that he was the real deal but to take it slow or it could go south real quick.

"Jewel?" Connor's Irish Borough brought me back to reality and I looked up at him. "I say too much, too soon?"

"Honestly, yes. I mean, we've barely known each other a day and already, you're practically pouring your entire being out to me and I don't know how to take it."

"Ya wan me ta leave?" He didn't sound angry; more concerned about how I was feeling.

"No, you don't have to leave. I'm only trying to sort out what's going on in my head right now because I have the same attraction to you, and I'm glad that the feeling is mutual." A small smile came to my face as I looked him in the eyes, only to receive a smile in return.

"I tell ya wat," he stepped closer until he was about arm's length away from me. "How 'bout ya have a drink wit me and me brudda af'er he's outta work tonight and we can see how t'ings go. Hell, invite yer friend too. I'm sure Murph's got a crush on her anyway.

"So, I wasn't the only one who noticed it," I became silent for a moment as I thought about what he suggested and it seemed like a good idea. "Alright. We'll do that."

"Great!" he took my hand and lightly kissed it, making me colour once more. He seemed to have a knack for making me do that. "I'ma go fer now so ye can do wat ya need ta do, and I'll see ya in a few hours."

"Where should I meet you at so I can phone Ange to let her know?"

He handed me a green business card with gold print. "Meet us 'ere, but I'll warn ya now: it gets a lil' rowdy after midnight," he moved towards the door.

"Wait!" and I went to the closet. "Don't forget your cover."

"Thanks, girl. Don wan anyone recognizin' me mug 'round 'ere," he opened the door then threw me a wink. "See ya at seven," and he was gone in a flash.

I closed and locked my door behind him and sighed. I couldn't believe what was going on. I had a date with Connor MacManus of all people! Wait until Ange found out who he was! That was when I looked at the clock on the wall and saw that it was already quarter past four, which meant I didn't have long to get everything done if I wanted to make my date on time.

However, first I opened my laptop and typed in 'Connor MacManus' in a search, just to make sure he wasn't pulling my leg on who he was. Sure as shit, there was his name and photo as the first entry, along with a snippet of his biography. I figured I'd read it later as I grabbed my mobile and dialed Ange so I could tell her the good news.

After about four rings, she answered, "Yeah Jewel?"

"Hey Ange! You got anything going on tonight 'round seven?"

"Just a shower and dinner. Why?"

"Save dinner for later. We're going out. Connor asked me on a date!" I nearly screamed.

"Damn woman! Calm down, will ya? Ya nearly blew out my ears!"

"Sorry! I can't help being excited."

"Can't say I blame you. He is pretty damn hot and actually seems like a gentleman. What does he do anyway?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Come on, look where we work. There's nothing you can tell me that'll surprise me." She was seriously mistaken.

"Alright, you asked for it. He's Connor MacManus; the author of The Boondock Saints book series." Ange was silent for so long I thought the call had been dropped.

"You're kidding me, right?"

"Not in the least. I couldn't believe it either at first but he's the real deal. I've got his name and photo pulled up right now."

"Damn. Sounds like you finally landed a keeper."

"'Bout bloody time too. So, will you come out with me tonight?"

"Are you kidding? I wouldn't miss this for the world. Where are we going?"

I looked at the card on my desk. "McGinty's."


	3. Guinness On the Rocks

**New chapter! I really struggled with this one, trying to round it out to where it had a good place to stop, but also not sounding too corny. Hope you all enjoy it, and, as always, please read & review!**

 **Chapter Three – Guinness… on the Rocks**

Ange had come over to my place at half past six so we could walk to McGinty's together after I'd looked up the address, but on the way, I suddenly felt nervous again. What if Connor stood me up? What if he was already there and had put something in a drink for me that'd make me pass out and not remember anything? What if he was a complete asshole when he had been drinking? All these 'what ifs' started running through my head and I had to stop walking in order to get my mind to chill out.

"Julia?" Ange turned around when she noticed I wasn't next to her anymore. "Ya alright? Ya ain't backin' out, are ya?"

"Are you kiddin'? I'd be kickin' myself for the rest of my life if I did that," I said, trying to make it sound like a joke but she wasn't buying it. She'd known me too long to know when I was trying not to stress out over something.

"Listen to me," she placed a reassuring hand on my bare shoulder. "You need to take a deep breath and calm down. You don't have anything to worry about with this one. I may not have seen much interaction between you two but what I did see tells me that he'd never do _anything_ to hurt you or make you feel uncomfortable," she grinned. "Hell, just a little while ago, you told me he offered to leave your flat when he saw how his damn near expression of love made you feel awkward! How many men would do that?"

I finally smiled at my long-time friend. "None that I'm aware of. Well, with the possible exception of Murphy maybe." When I mentioned Connor's brother, Ange's face lit up with pink. "A-ha! I knew it! I knew you had it bad for him."

"Okay, okay! No need to announce to the world. Do you think he likes me though?"

She sounded like a teenager asking her best friend if her school crush liked her. "I know so. He can barely focus on his job half the time when you're there." I linked my arm through hers. "Come on. Let's get to the pub then you can find out for yourself."

We arrived at McGinty's at five to seven, only to find the bar and most of the tables and booths already occupied by what looked to be mostly Irish guys who'd just gotten off the clock.

"Damn, do I feel out of place," I whispered to Ange, and she nodded in affirmation. I had decided to dress up a bit in my sleeveless blue top, slender black pants, and heeled boots, but now I was thinking that wasn't such a smart idea. My companion was dressed similar in a modest green halter top, pink leggings, and over-the-knee boots, and feeling equally self-conscious.

"Well, we can't stand in the doorway all night," she whispered back to me. "Let's see if they're here yet." I nodded and we started to make our way into the pub, not receiving so much as a second glance, which I was relieved for as neither of us wanted the extra attention right now.

About midway into the establishment, I looked to my left to see part of the wall had been converted to a sort of wine rack, with a long booth and table that ran the length of it, and seated there was none other than Connor. And he was looking straight at me with a gigantic grin on his face.

"'Twas wonderin' when ye ladies were gonna show yer preddy faces," he greeted as he came over to us. He gave me a small hug, and bowed from the waist to Ange, making us both giggle and forgetting our self-consciousness. He stood straight again and seemed to be eyeing my outfit. "Yer lookin' lovely t'night, lass, but ya don need me ta be tellin' ya wat ya already know."

I could feel my face heat up and heard Ange snicker next to me at my discomfort. "I swear, Connor, you keep these comments up and I won't be able to go out again because my face'll be permanently red."

"Ain't nothin' wrong wit tat. Ya'd look good in red."

"Maybe, but I don't think my brain could handle the constant overload of flattery."

"So, are we gonna get a drink, or are you two just gonna flirt with each other all night?" my friend asked with a chuckle, and I couldn't help but silently thank her for the change of subject as I was clearly not used to this kind of attention, but that could change.

"Aye. Follow me," and my date led us to the somewhat crowded bar. It was at that moment I saw how good he looked in a short-sleeved black shirt, somewhat tight jeans, and motorcycle boots, which I wouldn't be at all surprised if he did own a bike with all the money he made. From what I could see when we got to the bar, there was only one bartender but about five waitresses, and they all looked busy but seemed to be keeping up with the crowd.

"Oy, Doc!" Connor called, getting the bartender's attention. He was older, maybe fifties or sixties, with white hair, glasses, more than a few wrinkles, and those only got more prominent when he smiled.

"Connor me boy!" they shook hands. "'Aven't seen ya fer a while. 'Twas beginnin' ta… _Fuck!_ tink ya weren't gonna come… _Ass!_ in 'ere no more."

I was a bit taken aback by the sudden outburst but it looked as though Doc couldn't control it. I figured I'd ask Connor about it later so as not to make a scene.

"Wat'll it be, ladies? I'm buyin'."

"Go ahead, Ange. I'm still thinking."

"Alright. I'll have an Irish Car Bomb." She said it without thinking twice, and while Doc's face lit up in surprise, he didn't object.

"Aye," he said, nodding to her. "Connor?"

"Ya know me, Doc. Guinness, and 'ave one ready fer Murph when he gets 'ere."

"Aye," he looked at me, and I think I'd finally figured out what I wanted. "Lass?"

He was so polite. "English Coffee." It had been a few years since I'd had one of those but I didn't have to work for the next two days and all of my schoolwork was caught up, so why the hell not, right?

"Aye," he looked over us. "Erin! Need ya help fer a minute! _Fuck... Ass!_ "

"Be right dere, Doc!" one of the waitresses called back, and he went to pour Connor's drink, and start Angelina's.

About thirty seconds later, a blonde with green eyes carrying an empty tray walked behind the bar. "Wat ya need, hon?" she asked with an obvious Irish Borough.

"Need ya to whip an English Coffee for this lady 'ere since ya know dem fancy drinks."

"No prob," and she quickly set to work on what I'd ordered as if she'd been making it all day. In less than thirty seconds, Erin had finished making my coffee and gracefully slid it down to me.

"Enjoy, love," she threw me a wink and went back to fill her tray with more drinks.

"Damn. Fast and polite service. I think this place just became my new watering hole," and I sipped the English Coffee as Ange and Connor were getting their alcoholic indulgences. "She must have a PhD in Mixology because this is amazing. I'll have to make sure to tip her good before the night's out."

"Aye, Erin's always been top-notch," the blonde writer started as the three of us walked back to our table. "Been workin' 'ere since me and Murph started comin' 'round. Tink he had a crush on 'er at one point, but 'twas befer he started workin' at da coffeeshop."

"I'd say he's got his eye on someone else now," and I looked over to see Ange colour up in full red before throwing back her Irish Car Bomb in one swig.

"'Ave ta agree wit ya, girl," he affirmed as he sipped his stout.

"Will you two knock it off?" my friend almost growled. "I don't even know if he likes me yet, and I don't wanna get my hopes up either."

"Get yer hopes up 'bout wat?" We looked up as the other brother made his stealthy entrance. "Ya wouldn't be talkin' 'bout me now, would ya?" Murphy slid onto the seat next to Ange, and I watched as her eyes got a little brighter. I had to admit that he looked pretty cute, dressed in a short-sleeve gray shirt, jeans, and workman's boots.

"Connor," I said, turning to my date that I still couldn't believe I was with. "Why don't we go see if Doc has Murphy's drink ready yet," and before Ange could protest, we practically jumped to the bar. It was still a bit crowded, so we figured we'd wait a bit before getting the bartender's attention.

"Tink dat was a good idea, leavin' yer friend wit me brudda?"

I turned to him with a sly wink. "I ain't worried. 'Sides, it'll be a chance for them to get to know each other outside of work."

"She seemed nervous, is all," he glanced over his shoulder to see them talking. "Appears aright, dough," he turned back to me. "Me brudda's broken lots a hearts, and don want workin' to become strange case he strings her along."

I took a sip of my coffee. "You think he'd do that to Ange?" I took my chance to signal Doc, and he quickly brought a Guinness over to us.

"In da past, I'd say no cuz we use ta live tageter, but since I been out on a book tour, haven't seen much of 'em, so don know wat me twin's capable of now."

"You're twins?" I looked at him then at Murphy, and while they did act similar, it was almost impossible to tell that they were twins.

"Yep," he lit up a cigarette. "Ma won't tell us who's da oldest. She gets a kick outta it, me thinks."

"Well, given that revelation, I thought you guys were supposed to be close," I said.

"Were bein' da key term, and we may be twins, but don mean we don fight."

"What did you guys fight over, if you don't mind me asking?"

"Don mind at all. Ain't all relationships suppose ta be open?" This was going to be an interesting night. "We were fightin' 'bout Da. I wanted ta find 'em, but Murph wasn't havin' it. Said he didn't wanna find a man, who was suppose ta be our Da, dat left Ma wit two boys ta raise on her own. Said he didn't deserve our love," he took a long drag of his smoke before continuing. "Me feelins' were diff'ernt, course, so when 'twas on dis last tour, tried to find 'em, but no luck."

"What happened?" I was becoming very enthralled with his story, but also knew we had to deliver Murphy's beer at some point.

"Ran outta time. Had ta come back ta England ta write me next book." He snuffed out his cigarette. "Let's move back ta da table, shall we?"

"We shall. I'm sure your brother wants his drink by now," and we walked back over to our booth, only to see Ange and Murphy laughing together, looking as if they were having a good time. I may not have known Murphy MacManus for very long, but I can honestly say I didn't share his brother's caution. Angelina was smart enough to know when she was being played, unlike myself, so I knew she'd bail out before she got hurt.

"Wat kept ye? 'Twas 'bout ta send a search party fer ya."

"Chill out, Murphy," I said while setting his Guinness in front of him. "Had to wait for Doc to be less busy so we could get your drink."

"Aye," he replied, and took a drink.

"Just wondering, does this place have food, or do we have to go somewhere else for dinner?" Ange asked the brothers.

"Apologies, lass, but ain't no food 'ere. No worries. We know a nice place fer dinner." Connor smiled at me, and I had to look down to hide the red that welled up in my cheeks. It really was astounding how easily he could do that to me, and I knew it would take a long time to get used to it.

"Damn, Julia. You're as red as a damn cherry!" Ange nearly crowed. I think her Irish Car Bomb was kicking in at that point, and I had to glare to get her to calm down.

"And you've had one drink too many. No more Irish Car Bombs for you, missy." She looked almost crestfallen, but seemed to realize that I was right. There was a reason I never drank those things, and it was because you had to do it all in one shot, otherwise it'd taste terrible. Not to mention, they could get you drunker than hell if you weren't a seasoned drinker.

"We be leavin' soon anyways," Murphy said, taking a swig and finishing his beer. "Bit hungry meself since didn't eat nothin' at work."

"Aye," Connor agreed, also finishing his drink. "Busy workin' on me book 'fore goin' ta da coffeeshop then ta dis lady's flat. Didn't 'ave time fer lunch."

"So, you weren't just planning on staying in the bar all night, were you?" I asked, setting down my glass.

"Nah. Maybe if it were just me and Murph, but we wanna show ya ladies a good time," he stood up and offered me his hand. "Shall we go 'ave dinner?"

I took his hand and stood. "Lead the way."

Ange and Murphy followed suit, and just as we were about to head towards the door, we heard,

"Hey fuck ass! Gimme a beer!"

"Roc?" The source of the loudmouth was a tall, brown-haired man, with a bushy beard and brown eyes, and a big grin when he saw Connor.

"Connor! Where the hell have you been, man?" I watched as Connor embraced his friend in a bear-hug.

"Been a long time, Roc," the Irishman let go. "'Twas out on a book tour fer a while in da States."

"Fuck, man. Ya at least could've called once in a while," he seemed to notice me. "Who's the lady?"

"Oh! 'Scuse me. Julia Starr, dis be Rocco, best friend ta Murph and me."

I held out my hand, and he gripped in a hearty handshake. "Pleased to meet you, Rocco," I greeted.

"Call me Roc," he said, letting go. "It's what these two call me.

"Alright, Roc, and this is my friend, Angelina Berkowitz." I gestured to the brunette just a few feet behind me.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance," Ange answered with a bit of a slur to her words.

"Tink we'd bet'er get some food fore dis one loses it," Murphy suggested, catching the same thing I did.

"Aye," Connor agreed, turning to me. "We go."

"That we do," I looked at Rocco. "Would you like to have dinner with us, Roc?" My question seemed to surprise not only him but the Irish brothers as well.

He scratched his head sheepishly. "As much as I appreciate the offer, I think I'll stay here and have a few drinks. Been a rough day but I won't go into that now."

"Aright. Good ta see ya, Roc. May be back later." Connor and Murphy both gave him a hug then the four of us were out the door and on the street.

"Where to, gentlemen?" I asked, looking around.

"Dis way, lass," and the blonde writer put a strong arm around my shoulders, pulling me close while turning right to go up the street.

'Hmm… A girl could get used to this,' I thought as I settled comfortably into him.

"Aww… ain't that cute," I head Ange say behind me, but as I turned my head to say something back, Murphy slid his arm through hers, making her cheeks go red.

"Aww… ain't _that_ cute," I mocked back with a sinister grin. I started to turn back to see where I was going, but before I could, I felt Connor's lips on mine. It was quick, but it left my mind in such a daze that I had to stop walking to get my head together at what just happened.

"Sorry, girl," he almost whispered. "Couldn't help meself. Been wantin' ta do dat all day."

"I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy that," I whispered back.

"Ahem," I heard Ange behind me. I'd momentarily forgotten about them. "If you two are done, I'm starving and would like to get something to eat _before_ I have to go to sleep tonight."

"Apologies, lass," Murphy cut in. "Sometimes, me brudda can't keep himself under control."

"Ya don 'ave da best track record yerself either, Murph," Connor shot back.

"Aye, can't argue wit ya dere, bro."

"I almost don't want to ask, but I'm sure I'll find out later," Ange said as we continued to walk up the street, which was becoming more populated with pubs, taverns, and restaurants.

"'Ere we are," I heard Connor say.

I looked up to read the sign, "Cherry Blossom Sushi Bar. Well, I'll be damned. My date looked at me, perplexed, which caused me to laugh. "No, no, no. I love sushi, and this is my favorite place to have it."

"Guess I be psychic when it comes ta ye, girl," and the four of us went inside.


	4. Something's Fishy

**I know it's been a while since I've updated anything but school has a tendency to occupy my time a lot lately. Anyway, a big thanks to everyone who'd reviewed, favorited, and followed this so far. It's very much appreciated!**

 **Chapter Four – Something's Fishy**

I still felt somewhat dazed from my first kiss with Connor as we all sat down for dinner and almost missed the server asking what we'd like for drinks.

"Green tea, please," I requested.

"Same 'ere," Connor said from my right.

"Will do, folks. I'll be right back," and she moved to go fill our order but I thought I saw her throw a flirty wink towards my date. I quickly brushed it off as my overactive imagination since I was still having a hard time believing who I was here with, not to mention the fact he'd kissed me!

"Jewel? Ya a'right?"

"I don't think I've ever been more alright in my life." It slipped out before I could stop myself, causing me to blush, which made Connor smile, and Ange and Murphy laugh.

"I don't seem to have a filter anymore," I said sheepishly, putting my hair behind my ear.

"No worries, girl," Murphy said across from me. "Connor's heard far worse on book tours. I would know. Had ta play bodyguard fer 'em more den once."

"Never thought book fans could be that crazy," Ange commented as the server came back with our drinks.

"Are we ready to order?" she asked, notepad at the ready.

I marked off two of my favorite sushi rolls and was about ready to hand it over when Connor said, "Dat all yer havin', love?"

I felt myself blush again. "It's all I have cash for."

"May I?" he asked.

"Sure," and I handed him the sushi menu.

"Ya tried all dese yet?"

"Not everything," I answered, wondering what he was getting at.

"Wat else would ya like?" he asked with a sly grin.

"No way I'm gonna let you-," I started but he cut me off.

"No buts, girl. Now, pick somet'ing."

"Alright." I pointed to the Spider and Dragon Rolls, which he marked off then handed to the incredibly patient server, who was probably getting a kick out of our bantering then went off to give our orders to the chefs. I know Ange sure was amused by us because of the mirth on her face.

"I'll say this, Connor," she began, taking a sip of her water. "In all the time I've known Julia, I've never seen her more smitten with anyone."

"I should say the same about you, Miss Gossip," I shot back, causing her to blush, and Murphy to grin. So, he did like her. I figured as much.

"Alright folks," the server returned with a tray. "I have one Spider, Dragon, Spicy Tuna, and California roll for you," she set it down in front of me, "Two Cucumber Salads, one Hot Red Dragon, one Oyako Danburi," Ange and Murphy, respectively, "And for you." She turned to Connor and I swear, her eyes lit up, a little too brightly for my taste. "One Nigiri Sushi & California Roll combo."

"Appreciated," my date spoke in a tone that said it wasn't too keen about the way this girl was looking at him.

"If there's anything else I can get for you, my name is Carrie," and she turned to walk away but not before eyeing the blond writer one more time. This was getting weird. However, I suppose this is what it'll be like dating a famous writer. I shook it off and sampled my Spider Roll.

"How's dat fish, Jewel?"

"It's great, and thank you by the way," I washed it down with some green tea, and grabbed another piece.

"No need ta tank me. Tis wat I do on dates. Ain't right ta let da lady pay. Right, Murph?"

"Aye," the brown-haired brother agreed, glancing at Ange. "A man should take care of his lady," and he winked at my friend, which made me smile for them.

"So are you saying that I'm your woman now, Murphy?" My friend said while taking a bite of her salad.

"Only if ya wanna be, girl," he countered, slipping a forkful of ramen in his mouth.

"Well, I'll consider your proposal then, Mr. MacManus," she said, trying to keep a straight face but I could tell she'd already made up her mind about it.

"Don consider too long. May make me frisky," he joked.

"A'right, a'right ya two," Connor broke in. "Night's still young wit plenty of time fer ye ta get ta know each ot'er." He picked up a piece of tuna Nigiri and offered it to me, which I took between my teeth just as Carrie was coming back to check on us.

"Everything taste good? Need any refills?" I turned to see she had a pitcher of water and a pot of what smelled like freshly brewed green tea.

"More water fer us, please," Murphy requested, and the server obliged.

"I'll take some more tea." I said, and she refilled my mug while looking at my date again. Now I knew she was eyeballing him, which I sure as hell didn't like and was about to say something when,

"Carrie!" a voice yelled from the kitchen. "Order up!"

"Be right there! Excuse me, please," and she was gone in a flash.

"Lucky girl," I mumbled, grabbing another bite.

"Wat's a matter, Julia?" I heard Connor ask.

"I don't like the way she keeps looking at you every time she comes over here."

"Are you jealous already, Jewel?" Angelina voiced, finishing off her Hot Red Dragon roll. There was no sarcasm; she was worried that I was getting possessive of my date already.

"Maybe a little. I don't like the fact that it's blatantly obvious that he's here with me and she keeps trying to flirt with him."

"We can leave if ya want," the writer suggested. He didn't sound upset with how I was acting; more like worried about what I'd do to the server if things got out of control.

I shook my head. "No, we don't have to leave. I just have to get myself under control," I took another sip of fresh tea. "Besides, it's not like you're flirting back, so I'm not concerned about you."

He gave me a small kiss on the cheek. "Ya ain't gotta worry 'bout me, girl. I only got eyes fer ye." That statement alone made me feel better about this situation and made me think twice about how I was reacting. Here I was with not only a famous author but an incredibly hot one, so it was only natural that other women would try to jump on him. As long as he was loyal to what he said, I had nothing to worry about.

"So, wat made ye girls wanna work at da coffee shop?" Murphy asked, trying to change the subject.

"I've always been interested in coffee since I was teenager: where it came from, what all the different flavors were, why some were better than others, and so on," Ange started, taking the final bite of her Cucumber Salad. "When I was still in high school, I made regular trips to the Café Bean after class to study and do some homework, and one day I was in there and Tom, our boss, was having an altercation with a barista. I think the guy had stolen something and Tom had caught him doing so. Anyway, the thief said he didn't do anything wrong, threw up his hands, and left the store in a huff. Tom came around the counter to go after him but he was long gone," she took a drink of water. "I asked him what that was all about and if there was anything I could do, and he said, 'Yes there is. You want a job?' And the rest is history."

"Gotta love how them situations work out," Connor grinned, popping a California Roll into his mouth.

"Well, my hiring wasn't quite so Johnny on the spot," I began. "I submitted an application and my resume while I was in the autumn semester at university then waited almost two months for an interview. I had to go through four of them before I was hired: two with Tom, one with his wife, Margot, and one with the top supervisor, Jamie, who happens to be their nephew," I paused to finish off my Spicy Tuna Roll. "I felt like I'd met the whole family tree when I finally landed the job. Been with 'em for the last five years."

"Dat's a hell of a story from both of ya," Murphy concluded. "Wish me life 'twas dat interestin'. Oh wait. I got a famous author fer a brudda dat I 'ave to keep crazy fans off of."

"C'mon, Murph. Ya know I take care of ya when ya do dat fer me."

"Aye, dat ya do, bro. Dat ya do." At that moment, the server came back with our checks.

"Everything turn out alright, folks? Can I get you anything else?" I swear she looked at Connor when she asked that but I kept my fury in check.

"No thank you. We're ready to cash out." Ange stated, taking one last sip of water. The Irish brothers handed over the money and said they didn't need any change. I didn't think they'd tip so much but I suppose they wanted to leave lest I do anything stupid.

"Thank you so much!" Carrie's eyes got animated. "Come back anytime and have a good night!"

"Dat we will," Connor said, standing then helping me up, which wiped the smile right off the server's face.

"Thank you again," and the disenchanted girl walked back to the kitchen.

"Well, that certainly discouraged her now, didn't it?" I joked as we walked out to the street.

"Smooth move, Connor," Ange said. "You have to deal with that on all your dates?"

"Rather not get in ta dat right now, lass," he said, his mood darkening a bit. I suspected he'd had some strange experiences in the past but wasn't about to ask him to spill his guts right here. He'd probably tell me about it sooner or later anyway.

"Where to now, gentlemen?" I asked, trying to get the night back on track.

"Hmm…" Murphy became thoughtful just then. "Ain't there a film theatre 'round 'ere?"

"Maybe five blocks from here." Ange pointed out.

"Let's go der den." He suggested.

"And see wat?" his brother asked as we started walking.

He shrugged. "We'll decide when we get dere," and smiled slyly.

"Wouldn't expect anyt'ing less from ye, bro." Connor's demeanor seemed to brighten back up but my friend's comment still appeared to be bothering him. We walked to the theatre in comfortable silence and when we got there, the lot was full and there was a line out the door.

"This might not be the best idea," I said, hanging back, causing the others to stop. I wasn't concerned for myself but for Connor as I knew he wouldn't want to deal with a crowd on what was supposed to be a date.

"Yeah, yer right 'bout tat, Jewel," Murphy agreed, looking at how many people were at the establishment.

"Well, now what?" Angelina asked, checking her watch. "It's ten o' clock now, so we still have time to enjoy the night."

"Could go back ta McGinty's and 'ave a drink wit Roc, if he's still dere." My date suggested. I could tell he didn't want to go anywhere else as it might be crowded with people, and with his notoriety, he wouldn't be left alone.

"I'm okay with that. Ange? Murph?"

"Actually, I think we might go off by ourselves, if you don't mind." Ange said, surprising me. We were supposed to be in this together in case anything went wrong.

"Are you sure about that?" I asked, eyeing Murphy warily. "Where would you be going?" Now I sounded like her mum.

"Just to the shopping district near Change Alley," she said nonchalantly. "I can phone you to check in if you want."

"That'd be nice if you did," I shifted my gaze back to Murphy. "If anything happens to her, you better quit the coffee shop cuz I'll coming looking for ya."

He held up his hands in mock surrender. "No worries, girl. Wouldn't do anyt'ing ta make ya come after me."

"Ya bet'er not, Murph, or I'll get ya too," his brother warned. "Bet'er yet, might call Ma ta come give ya a lashin'."

"A'right, a'right. I'll be good," and he meant it. At least, I hope he did for Ange's sake. For all I knew, he was a serial killer who was really good at covering his tracks. Wow. I seriously watch too many crime dramas in my spare time.

"See ya later then, kids," and we went our separate ways, me giving one last glance over my shoulder at my friend, who only winked at me.

"Ya a'right, Jewel?" Connor asked when we were well away from the theatre.

"I'm just worried about her. I mean, I don't know your brother that well and from what you've told me, he has a spotty record when it comes to women."

He tightened his arm around my waist. "Mine ain't exactly clean either. Told ya dat I dated quite a few ladies in my day, and not all of 'em were happy endings."

"I can only imagine. I wonder what's in store for me with this relationship." We got closer to the pub when he suddenly stopped and looked me in the eyes.

"I tell ya dis, Julia, and I want ya ta really listen ta me: Dere's somet'ing 'bout ya dat I can't put me finger on but I _know_ yer diff'ent from anyone else I've been wit. Now, I know dat we hardly know each o'ter but if ya let me, I can show ya wat I'm sayin' is true."

I certainly wasn't expecting this on a first date but looking into those emerald eyes, I couldn't fathom that he would have any reason to lie to me. I looked down for a moment then back up again when I'd gathered my thoughts. "Connor, I know what you're saying is true, but I have to tell you that I've had a history of screwing up my relationships. It's some kind of defense mechanism of mine, so if I seem distant or slow to accept this, don't take it personally," I sighed as I couldn't believe I was pouring my heart out like this. "If you really mean what you say then I know you'll bear with me when that happens and not walk out on me when it gets tough."

He didn't say anything but kissed me so fiercely that I thought I would collapse if I didn't grab onto him for support. After a few moments, he slowly released the kiss and waited for my reaction while staying close.

"Wow," I said after coming back to Earth. "If I had any doubts about your sincerity, I think you just got rid of them for good."

He smiled. "Wanted ta show ya how dat I meant wat I said. I'll stick by ya through anyt'ing dat comes yer way. Cross me heart," and he made the sign of the cross over his chest.

"That's the second time you've done that today. Are you a devout Irish Catholic or something?" It was meant to be a joke but apparently, it was true.

"Went ta church e'ery Sunday wit Ma and Murph, and 'ave kept up da practice ever since, even if I 'ave ta go by meself."

"Well, no offense to what you guys believe but don't expect me to start joining you," We arrived back at McGinty's just then. "Sunday's my day to sleep in."

He held the door open for me. "Won't expect ya ta do somet'ing ya don wanna do. Now dat I'm back 'ere, Murph can always go wit me."

"I thought you guys didn't talk much anymore," I stated as we looked for Rocco.

"We may not be as close as b'fore but don mean me brudda's changed religions."

"Connor! I was hoping you'd come back!" Rocco practically jumped on the Irishman when he spotted him.

"'Ey Roc!" Connor gave him a bear-hug back. "Hope ya 'aven't gotten _too_ wasted wit'out me."

"C'mon, man! Ya know beer doesn't get me drunk. I gotta have some shots too. Hey Doc! Three shots of Goldschlager!"

"Comin' right up, me boy!"

"Thanks Roc," I said as the three of us sat down at the bar.

"No problem, Julia, was it?" I nodded. "I'm glad you guys came back but where's Murph and Angelina?"

"They went off to the shopping district. Guess they wanted to spend some time together."

"Well, good for him. He really seemed to like her."

"Not exactly a ringing endorsement but I'll take it."

"Like I told ya b'fore, lass: ya ain't gotta worry 'bout yer friend.

"True. I should stop actin' like her mum anyway." Doc set our shots in front of us and we threw them back all at once. "Whew! I forgot how strong that stuff is." I flinched as the liquor burned down my throat. Rocco and Connor didn't seem fazed in the least and were already asking for another round.

"Gonna have to build up yer tolerance, sweetheart," Rocco joked, downing his second shot. "Especially if you're gonna be datin' this guy."

"Easy, Roc," Connor said, drinking his second shot and signaling for another. "I don want da lady gettin' sauced t'night. Kinda like 'er sober."

I coloured for probably the umpteenth time tonight. This guy was almost too much with the flattery and compliments.

"Oh man. I think you got a keeper here, bro," and the brushy-haired Italian laughed.

This was going to be a long night but I think I could get used to it. As I slowly drank my second shot of the night, I heard my date say,

"So Roc, how've ya been since I been gone?"

The smile quickly disappeared from his face as he sighed. "Could be better, man. More down than up, that's for sure. Gimme another shot and I'll tell ya all about it."


	5. Rocky Road

**I should write random one-shots more often as they seemed to help when I have writer's block. Wrote a one-shot Repo! The Genetic Opera fic because I was at a loss with this one, but now I'm back at it again! Thanks to everyone for being so patient and continuing to read and review. Things are starting to get a bit interesting and mysterious for Julia and Angelina.**

 **Chapter Five – Rocky Road**

After downing another shot each, we moved over to a booth that was a bit more secluded from the rest of the patrons in the bar as it was starting to get more crowded. I also didn't feel like being around a lot of people since I dealt with it five days a week anyway, and while I liked my job, it could get a bit overwhelming.

"So, wat's new wit ya, Roc?" Connor asked again once we got comfortable.

"Well, for starters, me and Donna split up. Think it's for good this time." I watched as my date's green eyes went wide at what he'd heard.

"Wat? When did dat happen?"

"Last week, man. She came home drunk off her fuckin' ass, and started screaming at me cuz I was just sittin' on the couch, drinkin' a beer." He lit a cigarette and took a long drag. "I'd already had a rough fuckin' day and wasn't in the mood to be yelled at, so I went off on her. Called her a druggie bitch, which she didn't like very much cuz next thing I knew, she's throwing my stuff at me, telling me to get the fuck out." He signaled Doc for a beer. "Fuck it, man. I've been sick of her shit for a while now. Guess this was just the final straw for me."

"Damn, Roc. Sorry, bro." The writer gave him a hearty pat on the shoulder.

"Don't worry 'bout it, man. Like I said, I've been sick of her shit for a while."

"How long were you guys together?" I asked.

"Shit, since high school, at least. Funny thing is, she's the only girl I've ever been with. On again, off again since I was seventeen."

Erin brought over his beer just then. "You folks doin' a'right?" she asked.

"Like a Guinness if it ain't too much trouble," Connor looked at me. "Ya want anyt'ing, Jewel?"

"Ginger beer, if you have it."

"Ya got it, love," and she went to go get our requests.

"Thought ya weren't drinkin' anymore t'night."

I laughed. "It's soda pop, Connor. One English Coffee and a few shots is my limit."

"Try telling that to Donna," Rocco growled. "I've gotten plastered before but this was way beyond anything I've seen her do before."

"How come she was the only girl you ever dated?" I didn't know anything about this, and Rocco seemed like a good guy who just got mixed up with the wrong girl.

"Hell, I don't know. Maybe I felt like she was the only chick who'd ever understand me. Turns out, she didn't know a damn thing about me." He scoffed and took a drink of his beer. "I knew just about everything about her, lemme tell ya. Besides the drinking, she was on every drug known to man. Lost track of how many times I'd get phone calls and have to carry her home from some dive cuz she was too stoned or high to walk."

"Where are you staying now that Donna kicked you out?" I asked as Erin came back.

"Tanks, darlin'," Connor said, handing over what looked like a twenty note.

"No problem, hon," and she went back to the bar.

"Well, she gave me two weeks to clear out, so I'm still there but I need to find a place quick. Don't know where to look though."

"Don bother lookin', Roc. Yer stayin' wit me 'til ya can find somet'ing. No arguin'." The Irishman added as soon as it looked like his friend was about to protest.

"Damn, Connor. Thanks, man. Seriously. I don't know what I'd do without you and Murphy." Rocco looked at me just then. "You sure I won't be getting in the way of your relationship? Don't wanna be a third wheel."

"Not at all," I said, taking a drink of my soda. "I've dated guys who've had their friends living with them, and it was never a problem." I thought about that for a second. "Better put, I never let it _become_ a problem."

"A'right den. Rock, yer stayin' wit me. Ya can move in tomorrow if ya want."

"You sure you'll be home tomorrow?" and he gave me a sly wink.

"Hmm…" my date became thoughtful as he regarded me. "Maybe, maybe not. Might spend da night wit dis lovely lady now dat ya mention it."

"Easy there, cowboy," I reeled him in while trying not to let my face turn red… again. "Thought we said we'd take it slow."

"We will but don mean I can't spend da night wit ya. Don 'ave ta be nothin'."

He was right, of course. We didn't necessarily have to go to bed, but it was always a possibility. And I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to see what he was like in bed. "Let's just see how the rest of the night goes before we make _that_ kind of decision."

"A'right, girl. A'right," and he gave me a devilish wink. It was going to be so hard to control myself later. Hell, I was having a hard time doing that now. If Rocco hadn't been sitting with us and we weren't in a public place, I might've jumped him right then and there.

"So, Roc, wat else ya been up ta?" Connor switched the subject back to his friend.

"Besides that bitch dumpin' me, same old, same old. The job still sucks and they ain't payin' me shit. Can't quit though."

"Why not?" I asked.

"Wouldn't be great for my health if I did." I wondered what he meant by that and was about to ask when the blond writer broke in.

"Don worry, Roc. Wha'e'er happens, me and Murph got ya back." The Italian smiled and finished his beer. I wanted to ask what he did but something told me to keep my mouth shut; at least, in a public setting. What kind of friends did Connor and Murphy have that they had to be so vague about what they did for a living?

Now, I was really worried about Ange, and pulled out my mobile to phone her when it started to go off. I was relieved to see that it was her. "Just a sec, guys," and I walked to out to the street to answer her call. "Ange. You alright?"

"Yeah, Jewel. I'm fine. Just phoning to check in." I couldn't detect anything telling in her voice, so I knew she was alright. I could hear Murphy in the background then my friend laughed. At least they were having a good time together. Not to say that I wasn't but things just seemed to take a bit of a strange turn. "You havin' fun with Connor?"

"Are you kidding? I think he's the best thing to ever come into my life! I just hope I don't screw this up because if I do, I seriously may never date again."

"Don't worry. I won't let you do anything stupid, which mean you're going to have to drop that damn defense mechanism of yours."

"Can't argue with you there. What would I do without you?"

"Probably go bloody bonkers. We'll be on our way back to McGinty's in 'bout an hour. See ya, Jewel."

"See ya, Ange," and we hung up. I went back inside to see Connor and Rocco laughing.

"E'ert'ing a'right, lass?" my date asked as I sat back down.

"Yeah. Ange said she and Murphy will be back here in about an hour. Sounded like they were having a great time together. I was worried about her for a little bit there."

"Told ya dere was nothin' ta worry 'bout."

"Guess you were right."

He slid closer and put an arm around my waist. "Ya know I'd ne'er let anyt'ing happen ta ye or yer friend," and he planted a soft kiss on my forehead.

"Damn, Connor. Are you in love or what?" Roc blurted out. The comment made both of us colour dark red, and the Irishman glare at his friend, who only grinned back so hard I thought his face would stay stuck that way.

"Watch it, Roc. I can kick yer ass any day of da week, and me brudda would back me up on it too."

"I don't doubt that, but I've _never_ seen you fall so hard, so fast before. Treat her right, man."

"I don't think I have anything to worry about there, Roc," but I started to wonder if that was just a joke or if there was something else behind it. Connor had said that his past with other women wasn't the greatest, but that was in the past, right?

'Quit second-guessing everything and enjoy this already!' The annoying little voice in my head piped up again. 'If he feels the need to tell you something, he will!' My inner self was right, as usual, and so was my co-worker. I had to get over my relationship anxiety at some point and now would be a good time to start.

"Julia? Julia? Ya still wit us?"

"Hmm?" I must've zoned out because Connor's handsome face suddenly filled my vision. He was almost close enough to kiss but I resisted the temptation for the moment. "Yeah, yeah. I was just thinking."

"Must've been somet'ing heavy duty. Ye were out der fer a bit."

"Apologies. I do that sometimes when I get a train of thought going."

"Wat were ya t'inkin' 'bout?"

"I'll tell ya later, if that's alright," I glanced over to see if Rocco was listening but he was yelling at something one of the other patrons had said.

"No worries, darlin'. Ya can tell me anyt'ing. 'Member dat," and he polished off his beer but turned down another one as Erin came around again. I also declined another ginger beer but made sure to give her a ten note for her excellent service tonight.

Thanks, love. Hope ta see ya here wit Connor again." She picked up our empty glasses and bottles then went about her rounds.

"I can't believe I've never been here before tonight, but then again, I work and study so much, I barely feel like I have time to sleep some weeks."

"Try writin' a book wit a deadline loomin' 'round yer head. I tell ya, ya don sleep fer days. Funny t'ing 'bout sleep dep'rivation; almost makes me _more_ creative."

"I'll remember that when you're up late at night and haven't slept for days." I got a devious grin. "Just don't expect me to get up and make you coffee at three in the morning."

"Got dat covered. Keep a maker and the goods next ta me desk. Good writer's ne'er wit'out his coffee."

"You said Murphy and Ange were coming back here, right?" Rocco asked.

"Yeah. Why?"

"It's been about an hour and they're still not here yet."

"Murph ne'er was one ta be punctual, so I really ain't surprised."

"Neither is Ange now that I think about it. She's gotten better with the job though, but every once in a while, she'll show up late."

"Talkin' 'bout me again?"

"Just the fact that I have to cover your ass when Tom or Margot asks me why you're running late for your shift." My friend smirked at me and slid into the booth, with Murphy close behind her.

"Hey, there's been plenty of times I've had to open without you cuz you overslept or forgot to set your alarm."

"You got me there. Okay. Previous statement retracted."

"So, ladies, we be doin' anyt'ing else t'night?" Murphy asked, leaning on the table.

I noted it was about midnight, so we could go do something else. The question is, was I up for something else since I'd been awake all day and then some.

As I was about to voice my thought, Connor answered his twin's question. "How 'bout we settle up then I've got an idea on wat ta do."

"Bet'er den me film idea?" the other brother asked.

"Much," and he went to the bar to pay our tab.

"What about you, Roc? You got any plans tonight?" I asked as we all stood up.

"Guess I could go back to the flat and pack my stuff. Probably have one more beer first then I'll go." He stood up then. "It was nice meeting you ladies. Murph, glad to see ya again."

"Likewise, Roc," the brown-haired Irishman gave his friend a hug. "Don be a stranger, ya hear?"

"I won't. Movin' in with your brother in a few days. I'll fill ya in on the details later."

"Right. Catch ya later, Roc." As soon as Connor joined us, we said one last goodbye to Rocco then left the bar, and at just the right time too because a group of university students came pouring in, already looking drunk out of their skulls.

"Good time to leave, I think," I commented as we shouldered our way out to the street. "University students are known to get rowdy."

"So are the Irish, love." Connor grinned and Murphy seconded the comment.

"Where exactly are we going?" Ange asked as we followed the blond Irishman through narrow streets and back alleys, obviously to avoid the foot traffic of the night.

"You'll see when we get there," he answered mysteriously.

As we walked, the area was slowly becoming darker and more deserted, which started to make me a bit nervous but also excited in a way. I had a feeling that dating this guy would never be dull. We passed what looked like a small park, a set of train tracks, several streetlights, then I thought I started to hear a subtle bassline, but it could've been my imagination and heartbeat.

We kept moving and the sound kept getting louder, so I knew I wasn't hearing things. It sounded as though it was coming from one of the old brick buildings that used to house an auto factory but most of those were considered condemned. Upon getting closer, not only could I hear music more clearly but there were also flashes of light coming from the upper level windows of a red brick four-story.

"Is that where we're going?" I pointed to the source of the lights and music, and Connor only smiled. As we got closer, I could see four burly-looking watchmen standing in front of a heavy sliding steel door that slightly muffled the sounds inside.

"Patrick, Roy," my date addressed two of the men. "Been a long time, mates."

"Connor! Ain't seen ye fer a while. Where ya been?" one of them shook his hand somewhat aggressively.

"In da states fer da new book, Roy." Roy was sporting a shock of red hair and dark eyes, and looked like he could've been in a body builder competition. Patrick, on the other hand, was platinum blond with the palest eyes I think I've ever seen, and looked small but stocky.

"And dis must be Murphy. How ya been, brudda?" Patrick clapped Ange's date on the shoulder.

"Workin', Pat, he replied with a grin. "And found me a nice lady, too." Now it was Angelina's turn to colour red. At least it wasn't me for a change.

"She's a beaut, Murph. And so is yours, Connor," Patrick observed me and my friend.

"A'right, a'right. S'ppose ya folks wanna go inside," Roy signaled for the other two watchmen to step aside. "No charge t'night, and show dese ta da barman. He'll comp ya fer drinks." He slipped wrist bands onto our arms, and shook Connor's hand once more. "Glad ta see ya, boy-o. Don be a stranger, now."

"Evenin' Roy, Pat. The door was slid open for us, and we were engulfed in lights, music, and laughter from people having a good time.

As I looked around, I couldn't believe we had gotten in for free, much less had a comp at the bar. I turned to Connor. "You certainly know how to take a girl out."


	6. Killer Vanilla

**Surprisingly quick update this time but that's not really a bad thing either. Shorter than previous chapters but it's also from a different perspective. Enjoy and as always, read and review!**

 **Chapter Six – Killer Vanilla**

The Café Bean was a popular spot for several people around the city of London, with some stopping by two or three times in a given day. Michael McCarty was one of those patrons who could spend all day there if he didn't have to work at the stock exchange for most of it, but he always made sure to stop in on his lunch breaks and after his shifts. Of course, he also made certain that Jewel was the one making his drink because she could do it fast and accurate. Not to say that no one else there could but Michael preferred watching her work more than anyone else. She was gorgeous, with that long black hair swept up in a ponytail, those sapphire blue eyes that he could almost drown in, and a dazzling smile that made him want to kiss her every time she flashed it at him.

'I never do hear her name though,' he thought as he highly doubted what was on her nametag was what she actually went by. Today, he'd managed to get a late lunch around the time that she normally got off but when he'd come in, he'd seen her sitting at one of the tables with a blond man. He almost didn't recognize her at first because she'd had her hair down, but it only made her look more beautiful. It took every ounce of his being not to walk over and say something but he knew he had no cause to do so, as much as he'd wanted to. So, he ordered his usual vanilla latte (killer vanilla they'd named it because of the five shots of extremely strong espresso and six ounces of flavor), and sat down with a view of Jewel and the mystery man.

'Whoever you are, pal, you'd better not get any ideas cuz she's mine.' That wasn't true anywhere except in McCarty's head since he'd never even gotten the nerve to talk to her outside of, "Thanks" and "Have a nice day," which was just her being polite and doing her job. Still, he wasn't too keen on the idea of her talking to someone else in his presence, although Jewel probably didn't even see him come in. After about fifteen minutes of conversation, his barista-obsession and the mystery man stood up and went out the front door, looking completely wrapped up in each other.

"Not getting away from me that easily," Michael said to himself as he downed the rest of his latte, ignoring the sudden heart palpitations it gave him, and made a beeline for the door, nearly running over Tiffany as she was coming in.

"Afternoon, Michael," she said in her usual sweet tone. "In a hurry to get somewhere?"

"Something like that," he replied, and dashed out to the street, only to have lost sight of his objective. "Damnit!" he cursed under his breath, and began looking around frantically for the telltale black hair that was hers. "Shit! She's gone." Without having the slightest clue on where to look, he decided to head home to his flat as he knew she wouldn't be back in until Monday. That was okay though. He didn't have to go anywhere either, so why not sit at home and fantasize about her all weekend? The thought put a sinister grin on his face, and he started off but not before stopping at the liquor shop for some cigarettes and Jack Daniels.

Opportunity presented itself later that night, however, as the stock trader had become bored with sitting in his flat with nothing to do, and decided to go out for drink at one of the pubs he visited on and off. Fantasizing about a woman whose real name he didn't even know could only entertain him for so long, so he dressed in some of his more casual clothes then took a stroll over to McGinty's. He may not have been full-blown Irish like most of the guys that went there but they still welcomed him all the same, and Doc could be pretty entertaining some nights. He ordered up a beer and joined in on a conversation with three other guys about how volatile the market had been lately, which lasted about two hours, and just as he was about to ask for a third drink, the door to the pub opened, and he almost couldn't believe who walked in. Michael saw Jewel dressed in clothing that hugged her curves, boots that climbed up her legs, and a smile that could've melted the polar ice caps… and she was directing it at the same man he'd seen her with at the coffee shop.

"Connor! I was hoping you'd come back!" The stock trader turned to see the source of the loudmouth was none other than Rocco, a guy who was rumored to be mobbed up but no one could say for certain. He watched as Rocco jumped on the blond man, who hugged him back and grinned. That was when Michael really got a look at him and recognized who he was: Connor MacManus, writer of The Boondock Saints book series. _That's_ who she was with? For some reason, the idea made Michael even more jealous as this guy was obviously more successful than he'd ever be, so of course a woman like her would be with him. He was so angry that he ordered a double shot of Jack, threw the whole thing down in one gulp and demanded another.

"Hey Doc! Three shots of Goldschlager!" He heard the loudmouth Italian yell.

"Comin' right up, me boy!"

"Thanks, Roc," Jewel said as the three of them sat further down the bar, and out of earshot.

"Well, that figures," he muttered to himself. He continued to watch the three, growing more and more jealous as Connor flirted with her. Of course, Michael would get drunk enough to pass out before he gathered up enough nerve to say something about his obviously one-sided attraction. "Maybe if I had said something to her sooner, I wouldn't be in this spot.

"Doin' a'right dere, lad?" Doc asked him.

"Fine, Doc. Just peachy. Give me one more, will ya?"

"Sure t'ing. _Fuck… ass!_ " McCarty smiled at the outburst and continued to watch his love interest as she seemed to be having the time of her life with the writer. He downed the final shot, settled his tab, and stood up, nearly crashing to the floor by the sudden movement.

"Need a hand dere, pal?" one of the other patrons asked him. He waved them off, and with one last glance at the lovely lady, stumbled out the door.

"Fuck! What time is it?" Michael checked his watch to see that it was just turning to midnight. He'd been sitting outside McGinty's for nearly two hours on the smallest hope that Jewel might come out by herself, but no such luck. He must've nodded off and was fortunate enough that a constable hadn't strolled by. He'd thought he'd heard a voice around him about an hour ago but it could've been anyone walking by or someone coming out to take a phone call. Smoothing out the wrinkles in his clothes that he'd acquired from sleeping up against the building, he slowly stood up but it didn't curb the dizziness of alcohol from taking over. "Guess I'd better go home for the night," he said to himself as he observed a group of university students moving towards him.

He slowly moved out of their way so they could go into the pub, but as they went in, four others came out. It was Jewel, still with Connor, and what looked to be Ange and the new guy at the coffee shop. What was his name again? Not like it mattered anyway as Michael stepped back so they couldn't see him.

"Good time to leave, I think," he heard Jewel say as the group began walking. "University students are known to get rowdy."

"So are the Irish, love," Connor replied, making McCarty clench his fists.

"Where exactly are we going?" he heard Ange ask as they walked away from McGinty's and the crowded streets.

'Where, indeed," he thought, and decided, against his better judgement, to follow them. He may have had a hangover coming on but it wasn't going to deter him from his mission, which of course, he had no idea what that was but he'd come up with some sort of justification, even if it only sounded rational in his mind.

'You know you're bonkers, right?' His inner voice told him as he trailed the group through the dark backstreets. 'She'd never go with you now that she's with him.'

'Doesn't mean I can't follow them to where they're going. Now, shut up!' he thought back. As he continued to trail, surprised he could keep up with all the alcohol he'd drank, Michael could hear the sounds of a bassline getting louder and louder then flashes of coloured light coming from the old auto factory district.

'Looks like someone finally renovated one of those old places,' he mused as he got closer. Connor and the other guy, who was with Ange, were shaking hands and conversing with the watchmen then they went inside the hidden nightclub. 'He's probably all chummy with whoever owns the joint. No way I'll be getting in.' A rumble of thunder sounded in the distance and a flash of lightning streaked across oncoming dark clouds.

"And I'm sure as hell not staying out here all night, just to get soaked." Disappointed that he couldn't get close to the woman he was obsessed with but intrigued by who she was with, Michael McCarty slinked away from the building so that the guards wouldn't spot him, and walked home. Now, he planned on using his weekend to dig up every bit of dirt he could find on Connor MacManus and exploiting it. Who knows? If he played his hand at the right moment, he could get Jewel to come to him with open arms.


	7. In the Club

**Yes, I know it's been a while since I've updated but Mortuary Science is quite demanding. For this I apologize, and now that I'm on a break, I'll make an effort to get chapter eight up as soon as I can. As always, please read and review! Lyrics from All I Ever Wanted by Basshunter.**

 **Chapter Seven – In the Club**

I'd been to my fair share of night clubs and raves in my late teens and twenties, so I'd picked up a few dance moves during that time. I never expected that my date knew how to bust a move too, and I'd almost swear if he wasn't a writer, he very well could've been a male stripper. That thought made me laugh as Connor and I walked to the bar after dancing for five songs straight.

"Wat's so funny, Jewel?" he asked me as the DJ blended beats to move into the next song.

"You might think it was weird," I replied as I signaled the bartender.

"Try me," he grinned.

"What'll it be, folks?"

"Citrus water for me. Connor?"

"Same, love. Now, ya gonna tell me wat ya were t'inkin'?"

"Okay, okay. I was just thinking that you dance so well that if you weren't a writer, you probably could've been a stripper."

He looked a bit weirded out by that but then seemed to think about it. "Hmm… be a great way ta make cash if a book went south. Thanks fer the idea."

"Two citrus waters. No charge." The redhead was about to serve someone else but I handed her a ten note before she could walk away, to which she flashed me a somewhat flirty smile then moved to take care of the other patrons.

"Tink she liked ya," Connor grinned while giving me a mischievous wink.

"Wouldn't be the first time a woman tried to flirt with me. I seem to attract both sexes but I only swing one way," and I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Good fer me den, ain't it?"

"There you guys are! We were wondering where you were." Ange and Murphy came up to us just then, looking like they needed a break too.

"Had to take a break for a few minutes. This place may be underground but it's sure crowded."

"Most folks 'ere be friends of da watchmen and owner, plus a few got in by special invite." Murphy ordered two club sodas for Ange and himself. "Course, gotta keep it secret. Don wan it goin' mainstream."

"Don tink George could keep up wit it o'herwise. 'Aven't seen 'em 'round lately," the blonde Irishman took in the scene. "You seen 'em, Murph?"

"Once, at da coffeeshop. 'Bout a month ago, methinks." He drained his club soda in one gulp and signaled for a refill. "Seemed ta be doin' a'right."

"Good ta hear. Good ta hear."

"I had a feeling you'd be friends with someone who runs this place since we got in for free and got a bar comp. You sure have some interesting connections." Ange commented, throwing back her own soda.

"Ya 'ave no idea, girl." Connor replied but didn't say anything in addition to that. I seriously began to wonder who these guys really were and what they had to hide. Connor was a well-known author and Murphy being his brother got his fair share of notoriety but there had to be something else to the MacManus brothers; something they weren't telling me and Angelina. I hoped to Hecate that they weren't serial killers or something to that affect because that'd be just my luck. Of course, something like _that_ may be very exciting.

'What are you now? A psychopath? You seriously watch too many slasher films.' My imagination was starting to run away with itself, but with everything I'd read on the subject, it wouldn't be too far off.

"Well, I'm ready for another round of dancing," I heard Ange say. "Murphy, you ready?"

"Anytime, darlin'. Anytime." I watched as they disappeared into the crowd while Connor and I stayed at the bar to finish our drinks.

"You know, this may only be their first date but I think those two will work out well together."

"Aye. Murph's got it bad fer her. Jus' hope he don mess it up like he's done before."

"Mess it up how?"

"Movin' too fast. Don tink he will wit dis one. Won't do nothin' she don wanna do."

"How can you tell?"

"Bruddha's intuition," he replied, putting a finger to his temple.

I shrugged. "Yeah, you guys are twins after all. I suppose there is something to that connection after all."

"Could almost read me bruddha's mind fer a while dere den me book took off and I weren't 'round much anymore. Tink he still resents me fer it, least a lit'le."

"You guys sure have a lot of history."

"Remind me ta tell ya 'bout it one day."

"Oh, don't worry. I will," I smiled at him, and took a drink of my citrus water.

 _All I ever wanted was to see you smiling, smiling_

 _I know that I love you_

 _Oh baby why don't you see, you see_

I almost choked on my drink when I heard one of my favorite Basshunter songs come on.

"Ya a'right, Jewel?"

"Yeah, I'm good. This is one of my favorite songs. Feel up to dancing again?"

"Could dance all night wit ya. Shall we?"

"Absolutely." We polished off our waters then headed back onto the floor.

 _All I ever wanted was to see you smiling_

 _All I ever wanted was to make you mine_

 _I know that I love you_

 _Oh baby, why don't you see_

 _That all I ever wanted was you and me_

 _All I ever wanted was to see you smiling_

 _All I ever wanted was to make you mine_

 _I know that I love you_

 _Oh baby, why don't you see_

 _That all I ever wanted was you and me_

 _Drop the bass_

We'd been dancing my back to his front for the majority of the time we'd been at the club but for this tune, it was front to front. I almost lost my steps a few times because those eyes were boring into mine so intensely. All that kept me on my feet was the fact that I was holding onto his shoulders and singing the lyrics.

 _I'm so alone, here on my own_

 _And I am waiting for you to come_

 _I want to be, a part of you_

 _Think of all the things we could do_

 _And every day, you're in my head_

 _I want to have you in my bed_

 _You are the one_

 _You're in my eyes_

 _All I ever wanted in my life_

It was then that Connor kissed me for the third time during our first date and in that moment, I felt nothing but a burning desire for him.

 _All I ever wanted was to see you smiling_

 _All I ever wanted was to make you mine_

 _I know that I love you_

 _Oh baby, why don't you see_

 _That all I ever wanted was you and me_

 _All I ever wanted was to see you smiling_

 _All I ever wanted was to make you mine_

 _I know that I love you_

 _Oh baby, why don't you see_

 _That all I ever wanted was you and me_

The rest of the lyrics were lost on me as we deepened our kiss and I felt his strong hands stroking my hair and neck. I pulled him as close as I could and ran my hands over his neck and shoulders, but our pure bliss couldn't last forever as I felt the need for air and slowly pulled away. I opened my eyes to see a dazzling smile on his face.

"Wat say ye ta us getting' outta 'ere?" he asked, putting his forehead to mine.

"What about Ange and Murphy?"

"We'll tell 'em we're leavin'. Stop worryin' 'bout yer friend. She's safe wit me bruddha."

He was right, of course, and she'd more than likely tell me the same thing. "Alright. Let's go find them." Holding my hand, Connor led us around the dancefloor, only to discover that the other couple was nowhere to be seen. I started to get scared but then I remembered something: no smoking inside public establishments, so they probably stepped out for a smoke.

"Murph must be out 'avin' a smoke," my date said before I could. "Let's head out." Sure enough when we opened the steel door, there was Angelina and Murphy, having a cigarette and laughing with some of the watchmen underneath a short awning. It was raining with random flashes of lightning streaking across the dark clouds, followed by rolling thunderclaps.

"Hey guys! Get too stuffy in there for you too?" my friend acknowledged as we moved toward them.

"Nah, we're still having fun but I think we're going to take off for the night. Will you guys be alright?" I told them what Connor and I would be doing, and all I got was a sly grin from both of them. "Oh jeez. Knock it off, you guys. And here I thought my mind was always in the gutter."

"Don fret it, Jewel. Connor won't make ya do anyt'ing ya don wanna," Murphy took a drag off his smoke. "But if ya do, wear a condom. Don need 'em reproducin'."

"Cheers Murphy," I said sarcastically. "I'll remember that." The blonde writer didn't say anything but simply punched his brother in the shoulder, causing him to laugh in response.

"Same ta ya, bro. Don need any kids from ya either."

"Point taken," the brothers hugged then. "See ya tomorrow."

"Call me when you get home, alright Ange?" I said as I hugged my friend.

"Okay, mum," she joked but I knew she'd call to let me know she was safe. "You guys have fun."

"Dat we will," and Connor put his arm around my shoulders and we walked out into the slowing rain, not caring a bit that we were getting soaked.

* * *

I think to say that I was on cloud nine was a serious understatement. It was still hard to fathom that I was on a date and had been kissed three times by a famous, not to mention incredibly hot, author, who more or less told me that I was the only one he wanted to be with. Most people would say that was going too fast but to be honest, I didn't care. I was finally with a man who'd treat me right and never do anything to hurt me, so I sure as hell better not fuck it up.

"Wat's on yer mind, darlin'?" I must've zoned out again as we were walking because it had apparently stopped raining and we were getting closer to the city proper.

"I was just thinking about how lucky I feel to be here with you right now."

"Could say da same 'bout ye," and that made me colour up a bit.

"You sure have a knack for making my face red. I was also thinking that I'd better not fuck this up like my past relationships because I seriously think I'd never date again if I did."

"Don worry. Won't let ya fuck it up. I'll stick by ya no matta wat."

"That's… extremely reassuring. Hell, I don't know what to say now."

He turned my face towards his and we stopped walking. "Ya don 'ave ta say anyt'ing," and he kissed me again. I could get used to this. It was a short one but it still sent electrical thrills throughout my body. How could he do this to me?

'He's the one and you know it. Don't let him go anywhere.'

'Thanks for the obvious conclusion, brain. Now shut up.'

When we pulled apart, he had a smart-ass grin on his face. "Could get used ta dat look on ya."

"What look?" I asked, feeling my face become covered in crimson.

"Ya looked like ya'd woken up from a very pleasant dream," he teased as we continued walking. "Course, dis feels like a dream ta me too, ta be honest."

"Why does it feel that way to you, and where are we going anyway?" We'd almost made it to the coffeeshop without realizing it and had no actual destination in mind.

"Like I told ya earlier, Jewel, I can't put me finger on it but yer different from other women, and da one I wanna be wit. Lot ta take in fer a first date, I know, but I jus' wanna be honest wit ya 'bout everyt'ing."

"I think we have a great deal to tell each other," I looked around to see where we were at then made a choice. Whether I'd regret it or not, I'd find out in the morning. "How about we go to my flat for the rest of the night?"

"Won't argue wit ya dere," and we headed back to my building.


End file.
